Quartz with specular Hematite ex Jack Halpern

Item Description

A gorgeous and sparkling example of this most classic of olde English iron-mining district combination styles, the famous 'beta quartz' on hematite blades. The quartz is a very unusual style that formed crystals slightly different from the norm. They look like fat diamonds. The contrast of the quartz upon sparkling blades of hematite is striking. This is a particularly balanced and well composed specimen, perfect size for so many collectors. Material like this came out in the 1800s generally, and in a very few sporadic finds into the mid-1900s as well. However, now they are a thing of the past, and it is a unique occurrence in the mineral world, for this particular look and feel. Highly valued as old classics, they are also just plain gorgeous and sparkling! This is an excellent example. The bottom or back is composed of more typical "kidney ore" mammillary hematite. An old label accompanies this but we do not know the history as it was from a dealer who removes source labels (it looks familiar...but I cannot place the old collection from it).